Written by: Mat Ineson

Acts 12 v 11-15
Then Peter realized what had happened. He thought, “Now I know that the Lord really sent his angel to me. He rescued me from Herod and from all the things the Jewish people thought would happen.”
When he considered this, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark. Many people were gathered there, praying. Peter knocked on the outside door, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer it. When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so happy she forgot to open the door. Instead, she ran inside and told the group, “Peter is at the door!”
They said to her, “You are crazy!” But she kept on saying it was true, so they said, “It must be Peter’s angel.”

Notes 
Its funny how when we are in the midst of trouble it is so difficult to see God at work. Here was Peter miraculously released from jail suddenly realising that he is free. God had sent an angel and rescued him, yet it is only when Peter realises that he is out that he acknowledges God’s hand in it. And he’s not the only one who is surprised. 

He arrives at Mary’s house where they have been praying for Peter and his release. Peter’s arrival is their answer to prayer but they do not believe it. “You are crazy” they tell the servant girl. They pray but do not expect action, at least not like this.

When we pray what do we expect? Peter no doubt prayed for release from his dire position in jail. Peter’s friends prayed for release. God did it and all were surprised at the outcome. When you pray, expect that God will somehow work, ask for what you truly desire and God may give it to you. Remember that often, at the moment when God answers we may not see it. So keep a prayer diary of your prayer requests and when you look back you may well realise like Peter that God has worked even if you couldn’t see it at the time. Spend some time now, and every day, offering praise and thanks to God and asking him to work in you and through you. Releasing you from the prisons of your life and restoring you to freedom for his glory.

Acts 12 v 16-19
Peter continued to knock, and when they opened the door, they saw him and were amazed. Peter made a sign with his hand to tell them to be quiet. He explained how the Lord led him out of the jail, and he said, “Tell James and the other believers what happened.” Then he left to go to another place.
The next day the soldiers were very upset and wondered what had happened to Peter. Herod looked everywhere for him but could not find him. So he questioned the guards and ordered that they be killed.

Notes 
I have always dreamt of some kind soul giving me the car of my dreams for my birthday. I wonder whether I should pray in faith for it to happen. Emma, my wife, says that there are many other far better things to put my prayer time to………..and she is, of course, quite right. Here we see the believers being so jubilant and noisy about Peters miraculous escape that he had to tell them to be quiet. After he has explained to them what happened he tells them to tell others the story in order to encourage them.

How encouraging it is when we see answers to prayer and how much more so when God’s glorious intervention can be shared with others to encourage them. A bit like a ripple on a pond, God’s answer disturbs our reality and encourages us to remain faithful to our sovereign Lord. The good news is too good to keep!

Whilst God’s answer released Peter it had very different consequences for the non-believers. The soldiers tried to make sense of it, but couldn’t. Herod tried to undo it, but couldn’t and the effect was that the guards were killed. Not such good news for them. 
God’s action is not to be explained but only to be glorified and celebrated. There are many in the world, who like Herod, will try to control God and his followers but they do not know that the darkness cannot overcome the light. So take heart, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, share and encourage others with what God is doing, but don’t be surprised if some cannot accept God’s involvement. That’s only human nature.

Acts 12 v 20-25
Later Herod moved from Judea and went to the city of Caesarea, where he stayed. Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon, but the people of those cities all came in a group to him. After convincing Blastus, the king’s personal servant, to be on their side, they asked Herod for peace, because their country got its food from his country.
On a chosen day Herod put on his royal robes, sat on his throne, and made a speech to the people. They shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not a human!” Because Herod did not give the glory to God, an angel of the Lord immediately caused him to become sick, and he was eaten by worms and died.
God’s message continued to spread and reach people.
After Barnabas and Saul finished their task in Jerusalem, they returned to Antioch, taking John Mark with them.

Notes
Herod was a powerful man; so powerful that the people of Tyre and Sidon came in a delegation to ask for peace so that they would not starve. They were so afraid of him they came in a group and saw his personal assistant. You can imagine the tension as he sits on his throne in his royal robes and speaks to the people. In their enthusiasm they shout “this is the voice of a god not a human”. And Herod is eaten by worms and dies………….nice.

There is a famous prayer, used in the Anglican communion service, which says;
“Yours Lord is the greatness the power the glory and the majesty for everything in heaven and on earth is Yours. All things come from You and of your own do we give You” 
The people of Tyre and Sidon did not pray to God for food but went to the person with power, the person who to them was god. And he, Herod, did not recognize that all he had also came from God, he did not acknowledge that God provides. And he payed the ultimate, perhaps the eternal price, for his sin. 

In our lives it is important to remember that it is God who sustains and protects us. God who gives and God who takes away. God is sovereign over all the earth whether we think so or not, we can trust and follow Him and find our daily security, our daily bread in him. Who knows, maybe if we live like this God’s message will continue to be spread and reach people. 

Why not spend a few moments in quiet, giving thanks to God for his goodness to us, for the life he gives us and the good things that flow from him. Give the glory to God!

Acts 13 v 1-3
In the church at Antioch there were these prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon (also called Niger), Lucius (from the city of Cyrene), Manaen (who had grown up with Herod, the ruler), and Saul. They were all worshiping the Lord and giving up eating for a certain time. During this time the Holy Spirit said to them, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul to do a special work for which I have chosen them.”
So after they gave up eating and prayed, they laid their hands on Barnabas and Saul and sent them out.

Notes
There aren’t many things in life better than sinking your teeth into a Big Mac burger. And the funny thing is that when its finished I always feel like I could eat another one! Eating is very important to me……I love it. And so when I read that Barnabas and the others are worshipping and giving up eating for a time I am challenged. Challenged because it is so natural, and necessary to eat. And yet to show God how serious they are, and to ensure that food does not distract from worship, they stop eating. They stop and listen, and hear the Holy Spirit speaking to them. How cool is that?

The Holy Spirit sets Barnabas and Saul apart for ministry around the Mediterranean. Ministry that bears such wonderful and bounteous fruit that we still read about it today in the New Testament. And all because they stopped to hear what the Spirit was saying.
Our lives can become so busy with important things, including working for God, that we forget to spend time with God and listen to God. Barnabas and the others remind us that no matter how important we think our busyness is, its not as important as listening and worshipping God. After all its God we worship and not what we do! 

Today why not set apart some quality time for God, maybe instead of eating. Make some space and dedicate yourself to God. If we listen, God speaks today like he did to the early church, and look what it did for them!

Acts 13 v 4-7
Barnabas and Saul, sent out by the Holy Spirit, went to the city of Seleucia. From there they sailed to the island of Cyprus. When they came to Salamis, they preached the Good News of God in the Jewish synagogues. John Mark was with them to help.
They went across the whole island to Paphos where they met a Jewish magician named Bar-Jesus. He was a false prophet who always stayed close to Sergius Paulus, the governor and a smart man. He asked Barnabas and Saul to come to him, because he wanted to hear the message of God.

Notes
Barnabas and Saul are sent out by the Holy Spirit from their church to spread the good news of Christ in Cyprus, which was Barnabas’ home. Their journey leads them to the capital Paphos which was a decadent and superstitious city. It is difficult to imagine a harder place to speak the truth about Christ. In Paphos there were a multitude of beliefs. Anything was accepted as truth, or at least possible truth, they must be a little apprehensive. Maybe they should have started in an easier place, made a name for themselves before trying the capital. But God had led them where he had already prepared the ground. 

The governor, the most powerful man on the island summons them because he wants to hear the message about God. So here are Barnabas and Saul going to the governor’s house to tell him the message. How would you have felt?

Often we expect God to call us to easier lives. We expect that God will lead us in secure ways, to safe places. But it can often be difficult and sometimes dangerous to follow God’s call, if we are prepared to take risks, to go to places that seem stupid to go to, then God works in miraculous ways. 

I imagine Saul and company were a little nervous and excited. We are often asked to be obedient to God outside our comfort zones. Are you willing to be obedient and take risks, to speak about God with friends, family and other people even when it might seem ridiculous. If someone asks you about God you have to respond, and ask God for the words …….. and the courage. Maybe even ask God for the opportunities as well, but if you do, you need to take them when God provides them.

Acts 13 v 8-12
But Elymas, the magician, was against them. (Elymas is the name for Bar-Jesus in the Greek language.) He tried to stop the governor from believing in Jesus. But Saul, who was also called Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit. He looked straight at Elymas and said, “You son of the devil! You are an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of evil tricks and lies, always trying to change the Lord’s truths into lies. Now the Lord will touch you, and you will be blind. For a time you will not be able to see anything—not even the light from the sun.”
Then everything became dark for Elymas, and he walked around, trying to find someone to lead him by the hand. When the governor saw this, he believed because he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.

Notes
Wow, what a story! Saul and Barnabas after being summoned, are faced with a very clever man, Elymas who twists the truth about God in order to maintain his power over the governor, not to mention keeping his job as the chief prophet. But God’s word cannot be stopped and Saul, filled with the Spirit, deals with Elymas. And the governor believes. Not because of the power of the Spirit in miraculously blinding Elymas, but because he is amazed at the teaching.
Miracles and supernatural expressions of God’s power do not convert people to truth about God. Relationship with God and faith in God is what counts. The teaching about the Lord, about his death and resurrection and the life that God brings is amazing. The truth of God’s grace and love for us is phenomenal. When you think that our creator sent his son to set us free from sin when we did not recognise who he was, that is astounding. The greatest miracle of all is that God loves you that much. And when you believe that with your heart and confess it with your lips, that is truly miraculous. 

And as Elymas found out, no amount of clever words can confirm or deny the truth. God speaks and reveals and we believe. Communicating Christianity is not about cleverness or convincing argument it is about God working in our lives and hearts. It is about belief and faith.

Spend a few moments thinking about your belief and faith, thinking about what God has done for you. Give thanks to God and then pray for those who you know who do not know God, pray that they too may believe and, if you dare, ask that you might be given opportunity to speak to them about God. 

Acts 13 v 13-15
Paul and those with him sailed from Paphos and came to Perga, in Pamphylia. There John Mark left them to return to Jerusalem. They continued their trip from Perga and went to Antioch, a city in Pisidia. On the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. After the law of Moses and the writings of the prophets were read, the leaders of the synagogue sent a message to Paul and Barnabas: “Brothers, if you have any message that will encourage the people, please speak.”

Notes
So there were some more journeys and then John Mark left them. Not much here then. But wait. Paul and Barnabas came to Pamphylia; nice place by the sea. Great place to work from. But they didn’t stay, instead for some reason they travelled to Antioch. Sounds OK but the verse hides the truth about the trip. In order to make this trip they have to travel across the Taurus mountains along one of the most dangerous roads in Asia minor. One renown for violent robbery. But God’s call drives them on. And on the Sabbath day they went to worship, as usual. After the reading the elders invite them to speak. Once again the doors open for them and they have an opportunity to preach the Good news. Amazing!

And what of John Mark. Well many New Testament scholars believe that he lost his nerve and returned home to mum in Jerusalem. Wimp! But God uses him through that. It is widely believed that it is John Mark who wrote Marks gospel down. Amazing!

This passage shows us that God works in ways which we don’t expect. Through the bravery and determination of Paul and Barnabas and through the apparent cowardice of John Mark. God knows each of us and uses us for his glory…….if only we will let him. 

One of my favourite passages in the bible is at the end of John’s gospel where Peter asks Jesus whether John will live until Jesus’ return. Jesus replies, “if I want him to then what is that to you? Follow me.” (John 21:22) We all have different callings from Christ to follow and we may not understand each others but that doesn’t matter. What matters is that we follow our own. I wonder what yours is?


word-on-the-web uses the Scripture text taken from the Youth Bible, New Century Version (Anglicised Edition) copyright 1993 by Word Publishing Milton Keynes